diff --git a/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_logging.c b/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_logging.c
index fb6f33c1c..89558af20 100644
--- a/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_logging.c
+++ b/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_logging.c
@@ -19,17 +19,10 @@
 
 DEBUG_GET_ONCE_LOG_OPTION(global_log, "XRT_LOG", U_LOGGING_WARN)
 
-enum u_logging_level global_log_level;
-
-static bool _is_log_level_initialized;
-
-void
-_log_level_init()
+enum u_logging_level
+u_log_get_global_level(void)
 {
-	if (!_is_log_level_initialized) {
-		global_log_level = debug_get_log_option_global_log();
-		_is_log_level_initialized = true;
-	}
+	return debug_get_log_option_global_log();
 }
 
 #if defined(XRT_OS_ANDROID)
@@ -50,10 +43,10 @@ u_log_convert_priority(enum u_logging_level level)
 	}
 	return ANDROID_LOG_INFO;
 }
+
 void
 u_log(const char *file, int line, const char *func, enum u_logging_level level, const char *format, ...)
 {
-	_log_level_init();
 	// print_prefix(func, level);
 	android_LogPriority prio = u_log_convert_priority(level);
 	va_list args;
@@ -71,7 +64,6 @@ u_log_xdev(const char *file,
            const char *format,
            ...)
 {
-	_log_level_init();
 	android_LogPriority prio = u_log_convert_priority(level);
 	va_list args;
 	va_start(args, format);
@@ -107,7 +99,6 @@ print_prefix(int remainingBuf, char *buf, const char *func, enum u_logging_level
 void
 u_log(const char *file, int line, const char *func, enum u_logging_level level, const char *format, ...)
 {
-	_log_level_init();
 
 	char buf[16384] = {0};
 
@@ -131,7 +122,6 @@ u_log_xdev(const char *file,
            const char *format,
            ...)
 {
-	_log_level_init();
 
 	char buf[16384] = {0};
 
@@ -222,8 +212,6 @@ print_prefix(const char *func, enum u_logging_level level)
 void
 u_log(const char *file, int line, const char *func, enum u_logging_level level, const char *format, ...)
 {
-	_log_level_init();
-
 	print_prefix(func, level);
 
 	va_list args;
@@ -243,8 +231,6 @@ u_log_xdev(const char *file,
            const char *format,
            ...)
 {
-	_log_level_init();
-
 	print_prefix(func, level);
 
 	va_list args;
diff --git a/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_logging.h b/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_logging.h
index edf7e6d72..c90c69ea6 100644
--- a/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_logging.h
+++ b/src/xrt/auxiliary/util/u_logging.h
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ struct xrt_device;
 	} while (false)
 
 // clang-format off
-#define U_LOG_T(...) U_LOG_IFL_T(global_log_level, __VA_ARGS__)
-#define U_LOG_D(...) U_LOG_IFL_D(global_log_level, __VA_ARGS__)
-#define U_LOG_I(...) U_LOG_IFL_I(global_log_level, __VA_ARGS__)
-#define U_LOG_W(...) U_LOG_IFL_W(global_log_level, __VA_ARGS__)
-#define U_LOG_E(...) U_LOG_IFL_E(global_log_level, __VA_ARGS__)
+#define U_LOG_T(...) U_LOG_IFL_T(u_log_get_global_level(), __VA_ARGS__)
+#define U_LOG_D(...) U_LOG_IFL_D(u_log_get_global_level(), __VA_ARGS__)
+#define U_LOG_I(...) U_LOG_IFL_I(u_log_get_global_level(), __VA_ARGS__)
+#define U_LOG_W(...) U_LOG_IFL_W(u_log_get_global_level(), __VA_ARGS__)
+#define U_LOG_E(...) U_LOG_IFL_E(u_log_get_global_level(), __VA_ARGS__)
 
 #define U_LOG_IFL_T(cond_level, ...) U_LOG_IFL(U_LOGGING_TRACE, cond_level, __VA_ARGS__)
 #define U_LOG_IFL_D(cond_level, ...) U_LOG_IFL(U_LOGGING_DEBUG, cond_level, __VA_ARGS__)
@@ -99,12 +99,24 @@ enum u_logging_level
 	U_LOGGING_RAW, //!< Special level for raw printing, prints a new-line.
 };
 
-extern enum u_logging_level global_log_level;
+/*!
+ * Returns the global logging level, subsystems own logging level take precedence.
+ */
+enum u_logging_level
+u_log_get_global_level(void);
 
+/*!
+ * This function always logs, level is used for printing or passed to native
+ * logging functions.
+ */
 void
 u_log(const char *file, int line, const char *func, enum u_logging_level level, const char *format, ...)
     XRT_PRINTF_FORMAT(5, 6);
 
+/*!
+ * This function always logs, level is used for printing or passed to native
+ * logging functions.
+ */
 void
 u_log_xdev(const char *file,
            int line,